


Sith Sails

by Chiapet (autisticanakin)



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Abduction, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-29
Updated: 2017-08-30
Packaged: 2018-12-21 05:59:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11937813
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autisticanakin/pseuds/Chiapet
Summary: When Obi-Wan Kenobi, pirate captain, abducts the famous Vader, things don't go as planned. He soon learns they never do with Vader involved.





	1. Chapter 1

A small tavern stood in the most convenient place for sailors and pirates who had just come off the docks of Mandalore. The place was better-kept than some, the men more respectful of the serving ladies, and the owner kinder than need be. There were a few rooms upstairs for rent, where for a certain price, a consenting worker or two could warm your bed. Flash a little more gold and you could get full meals as well, during the day. At night the place was too busy for any cooking, but they served drinks aplenty.

Obi-Wan Kenobi stepped in through the back door, afforded that right as a regular and trusted patron. Annileen, the owner, was an old friend who treated him as a little brother. He rather liked it. But Obi-Wan wouldn't admit the fact in a million years. Nonetheless, when Annileen looked up, she had trouble recognizing him. If Siri and Ferus hadn't come in behind him, it would have taken her a few more seconds.

Obi-Wan wasn't in his usual get-up. He was wearing a brothel worker’s outfit, and a crazed look in his eyes. Annileen sighed. He was getting worse- almost a year now Obi-Wan Kenobi had been looking for the man who murdered his father then his lover, and no luck had come from what Annileen could tell. She hadn't seen Obi-Wan in over two months now. She wiped her hands on her apron and went over to him.

"What are you planning?" she asked. She knew Obi-Wan - he wouldn't disguise himself like this for no reason. The man was somewhat of a trickster, and utterly brilliant. He could talk the coins right out of your pocket. It served him well in the search for his prey.

"Good evening to you as well," Obi-Wan said with a smile, but his eyes were cold. He adjusted the top of his collar, uncomfortable in the revealing wardrobe. Annileen felt sorry for the bloke Obi-Wan would trick this time, because it was bound to happen. She would wager that Obi-Wan had more than a few weapons under that outfit, and his comrades did as well. Annileen just stared him down, waiting for an explanation, hands on her hips.

"The crew of the _Death Star_. Do they come here when they dock?" Obi-Wan asked in a straight voice.

"Oh yes. Favorites of Orrin’s," Annileen nodded, thinking of her business partner. They were pirates, the kind Annileen wasn’t fond of, but they always tipped well, and that was all Orrin Gault cared about. Their leader, Captain Vader, may have a reputation, but he was always well-mannered, well-spoken, and besides, her daughter Kallie was fascinated with him. Annileen sensed she’d rather not have her daughter too close to the man, though she did find his first mate, Ahsoka Tano, acceptable.

"Good," Obi-Wan nodded. "We'll be back in a few hours then, when the place starts filling up. Their ship is at the docks right now," he grinned some, but once again, it didn't reach his eyes. Annileen hoped to any higher power out there that he would give up soon - Obi-Wan Kenobi just wasn't himself anymore. He walked out the door again with his companions following him, and Annileen shook her head. That poor Captain Vader wouldn't know what hit him.

Three hours later, the patrons started coming in, and the _Death Star_ 's crew was right behind them. Their captain came in last. As always, the room hushed when they caught sight of the dark figure in the doorway, with the long coat and hand replaced with a hook. It wasn't all due to fear of the man, but respect. If you knew Captain Vader long enough, you'd know that he hadn't always been this bitter of a man. No one knew how old he was, though, besides Annileen, who had instantly recognized the older face of Anakin Skywalker. To the rest, he had just showed up out of the blue one day with his ship and crew, and started making a name for himself. Yet there was much more to that story.

 

* * *

 

Vader sat at a table to the side of the fireplace with his men, and ordered some rum for himself. He looked more tired and haggard than usual. A storm hit hard two days ago, and they had to dock here for some minor repairs, but he hadn't been able to get much sleep in during that time. His stormy eyes scanned the room. He was always wary of any enemies, but all he saw were some regulars and a few new girls making eyes at him from the corner.

And then he spotted him; golden red hair perfectly falling over his face, white cloth shirt with a neckline nearly to his navel. His necklace with a single stone dangling from the end of it. Leather breeches that were too small for him. Vader couldn't tell from where he sat, but he thought he saw him staring in his direction. Rum arrived and Vader sipped at it, hearing his men talking to each other and the patrons.

He himself drew his attention away from the man to focus on his own thoughts. It had been a decade now since he had taken his revenge. He had found Sidious and had killed him, his former master, the captain of the _Death Star,_ a notorious pirate and slaver _._ But now, after 17 years, he just felt...empty. A shell of the man he once was. He should have seen it coming, though. Without Padmé, he was nothing.

He snapped out of his thoughts when one of his men put down a mug on the table harder than he needed to. Vader looked back at the loosely dressed man, who stood up, coming his way. He smirked - he was confident. He liked that. Maybe this was what he needed. It'd been a few weeks since he'd had anyone warming his bed. He scooted so he was sitting sideways on his chair, and the man plopped onto his lap without hesitation, nearly making Vader’s eyes bug out. He drew his arms around Vader’s neck.

"Captain," he breathed into his ear. "We were expecting you after seeing the ship in the docks today. Some of my friends told me all about you." He couldn't help but shiver. He knew word traveled fast about him in places like this, especially among the taverns. He looped his arm around the man's waist, holding him in place, very aware of how tight the man’s breeches looked.

"Is … is that so?" he asked in a low voice. Or what he hoped was low and not a squeak. _Fuck_ , he was going to make himself a fool in front of his crew. The man giggled and pressed closer, playing with the lapels on his leather coat.

"Yes. Siri was particularly interested in you, but it was _my_ turn for a first pick tonight," he said. He cast a nod back towards the woman he had been sitting with. Vader offered a crooked grin, and kept his eyes on him, not caring about whoever Siri was.

"What's your name?" he asked, wanting to reach and stroke his hand up and down the man’s back. He could feel his men glancing at them now and then. Years of being on the high seas had taught them to be cautious, but Vader assured them with a wave of his hook that this beauty was no threat. At least not to anything but his nerves.

"Ben," the man answered, brushing the tip of his nose against his earlobe. He sucked in a breath - that neatly lilted voice did something for him. He waved his hook up again, signaling for another drink for both of them. _Ben_. He tightened his grip on him.

"Lovely name," he gave Ben a smile, wanting to run his hand through that hair of his. Perhaps he would be as the evening wore on. If he stopped acting like he didn’t know what the hell he was doing. Hell, he didn’t really know.

Ben reached up and ran his fingertips over the curved scar decorating his right eyebrow.

"What happened?" he asked. There was teaspoon amount of sympathy in his voice, mingled with curiosity.

"Some Nightsisters thought they could best me," he chuckled, handing Ben the drink he had ordered for him. Ben studied it for a moment before taking a few large gulps. Vader hoped he wasn't too much of a lightweight, or else he'd be carrying him home, or wherever he stayed, instead of bedding him. He blushed as he drew his thoughts back out of the gutter.

Ben widened his eyes at his tale. "Nightsisters? How many were there?"

"Around nine," he exaggerated. Some.

"Did you kill them?"

"I...tried not to. I just relieved them of their weapons," he said. He stiffened some when Ben trailed a hand down his arm to where his hook was. He hoped he wouldn't question it too much.

"Do you keep this on when you sleep?" Ben asked, almost batting his eyelashes at him. Vader nodded with a tight smile, wondering where this conversation was leading to.

"And other enjoyable activities?" Ben questioned more, his voice seductive and suggestive. Vader grinned.

"Only if you'd like," he said in a low voice, his lips near Ben’s ear. _That wasn’t bad, was it?_ Ben giggled again but the giggles cut off when Vader drew up some confidence and started kissing along his neck, just below his ear. _No, not bad_. Vader could feel his heart speed up some. He looked up when Ben stopped him by tugging at his hair.

"Now, now, captain, you don't want me embarrassing myself in front of everyone, do you?" he arched an eyebrow at him and Vader smiled again, face red.

"I didn’t take you for being so shy. Have you ever been on a ship?"he asked him. He caught Ben’s eyes widening again.

"No...it sounds a bit scary. Surrounded by all that water," he said, and Vader caught the nervousness in his voice.

"You'll be safe with me around," he boasted, squeezing Ben against himself for a moment.

"You're going to show me your ship?" Ben asked, a hint of disbelief in his tone.

"If you'd like," Vader nodded. Ben appeared to think about it for a moment before he grinned.

"Oh, yes please," he said in an excited voice. Vader motioned him to stand up and he did. He guided Ben out of the tavern, his hand on Ben’s hip as he waved to his men to stay put.

It was almost pitch black outside thanks to the new moon, but lights from windows glowed here and there. He navigated them with ease to the deck of the _Death Star_. He nodded to one of his crew members who was keeping guard while the others were at the tavern, and pulled Ben below deck. Ben wasn’t satisfied to wait until he got to Vader’s quarters to press him against the side of the ship and kiss him hard. Vader was shocked at first, then put his hands flat on Ben’s shoulders, kissing him back just as hard.

Ben smirked against Vader’s lips and began walking them backwards towards the cabin, the pace set slow. This was exactly what Vader needed at the moment. He'd been so tied up the past few years attempting to take care of his crew that he hadn't had time for any companionship. He'd almost forgotten what it was like to hold someone in his arms, or to have someone else calling the shots.

When they got to his door he kicked it open and Ben pulled him inside with a hand on his wrist. Ben took the opportunity to close the door with his foot, and then pulled away from him to jump on his bed with a laugh, making Vader lick his lips at the sight of those well-fitting pants again. Vader pressed his lips together and walked over towards Ben. He slipped his coat off in the process and threw it to the side, not caring where it landed. Ben watched him, his eyes dilated with desire.

The first thing he did was reach behind Ben and card his fingers through that golden red hair, standing between Ben’s legs as he sat on the edge of Vader’s bed. Ben reached up and started working on the clasps on Vader’s shirt, undoing them one by one, and being slow about it.

With frustration, Vader took him and pushed him up to the top of the bed, following him and getting on top. He pressed kisses along Ben’s neck and jaw and he let out a moan, spurring him on. Vader worked his hand down over Ben’s shoulders and back, when Ben surprised him, pushing Vader off and flipping them both over. Vader went along with it, rolling onto his back, and Ben straddled his waist, running his hands along his bare chest. Vader shivered as Ben tugged his shirt the rest of the way off. Fingers traced up to his shoulders and along his arms as Ben leaned down to kiss him.

He didn't notice Ben pulling something out of his boot, he was kissing him with such demand, rocking hips down against his. Vader moaned into his mouth just as he felt something clasp around his wrist. And then, he found himself chained to the bedpost. Ben had managed to take his hook as well without him noticing. Ben hopped down off him and away as Vader tried to process what the hell was happening.

"You -" he started to say when he realized there was noise on deck. And it wasn't his men. He gave Ben a murderous glance as he twirled Vader’s hook in one hand while he struggled to get loose.

"Advice, Captain," Ben said, leaning against the door. "Never trust a pretty face."

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You -" he started to say when he realized there was noise on deck. And it wasn't his men. He gave Ben a murderous glance as he twirled Vader’s hook in one hand while he struggled to get loose.  
> "Advice, Captain," Ben said, leaning against the door. "Never trust a pretty face."

Vader woke to an excruciating headache and let out a groan. From what he remembered, the fucker had clobbered him over the head with something to knock him completely out. He took a moment before he opened his eyes, half-expecting to be in chains by now. He was. He frowned. He was also still where  _ Ben _ had left him, half-clothed and shackled to the bed. Surprised that whoever engineered the takeover hadn't had him thrown overboard by now, Vader moved to investigate his bonds. 

He had some leverage, considering only one hand was restrained. He'd need a key to get out of it, unless he could pick it himself, but he didn't see any- his eyes caught a glint of silver on the stand beside of his bed. A hairpin. Ahsoka’s, no doubt, she was always leaving them somewhere, bless her. Stretching, he tried to reach it, but it was just beyond his fingertips. He bit his bottom lip before making another effort, and after a few moments, he managed to nudge it towards himself carefully, without the help of his hook. He got it close enough so he could maneuver around and grasp it with his hand, and then transfer it to his teeth, where he started working on releasing himself. It wasn't anywhere near easy with his limited resources, but after half an hour or so, he heard the satisfying 'click', and his hand was free. He let out a relieved sigh and flexed his hand, noting the chafe marks around his wrist. He tucked the hairpin in one of his back pockets to give back to Ahsoka later, and stood up, listening to the sounds outside. He could sneak out of this cabin easily enough, but it sounded as if there were a full enemy crew onboard.

Vader quickly found his shirt and coat where he left them. Curious. It seemed like no one had been in here since Ben had knocked him out. Most brigands liked to see their captives, maybe harass them a bit. At least, he did. Maybe this bloke couldn't be bothered, or was too self-important. If whoever Ben was working for thought he was too important to give a thought to Captain Vader being his prisoner, he had something coming to him. Vader slipped his shirt on and threw his coat on the bed - the coat didn't serve him well when it came to sneaking around. It was too bulky.

He carefully began opening the door to his cabin, intending to peek out and look around before stepping out. He was met by a stormy, sea-green set of eyes watching him on one side, bright blue ones on the other. Ben and that wench he had been with at the bar. His own eyes widened slightly at their attire - they definitely had been putting on the disguises last night. Now dressed, as well, seamen, and wealthy seamen - seaman and sea _ woman? - _ at that. He suppressed a gulp as he realized two swords were pointed at his neck.

"And we were just getting to know each other," he managed a grin, and Ben's gaze on him narrowed.

"Took you long enough to get free," he said, and Vader further raked his eyes over Ben’s figure, taking note of the exquisite hat he was wearing with one long white feather protruding from the side, and his soft green cloak pinned to the side of his shoulder. Ben wore a white tunic underneath a brown jacket, along with breeches and laced boots that reached just under his knees. The tip of his sword digging just slightly into Vader’s skin snapped him out of it. He was definitely a wealthy man.

"So you were expecting me. Excellent," he replied, nervously eying Ben’s companion. "Now, if you'd let me speak to your captain-"

He was a bit surprised when the blond  to his left let out a laugh. Ben gave a thin smile and put his sword down.

"Speak away," he said, crossing his arms once he secured his sword to the side, letting it hang from his hip. Vader blinked a few times and looked between the two of them, Siri's sword still closer to his neck than was strictly comfortable. He frowned, wondering what sort of trap this was, and Ben let out a sigh.

"You've a lot to learn with how things are going to be around here, Vader," he said, his eyes suddenly flashing dangerously. Ben gave Siri a glance and the red-attired woman lowered her sword while Ben reached up and gripped the side of Vader’s arm to drag him off. Vader dug his feet into the floor, refusing to go with him until he knew what was going on. Ben gave him a glare.

"Come with me unless you want to lose the other hand," Ben growled. Vader didn't have to study him to tell that he was deadly serious - Ben had a chilling, cold look in his eyes. He didn't fight it when Ben tried to lead him again, and was following him up to the deck, Siri trailing close behind him.

"I'm a bit confused," Vader said, squinting his eyes at the sudden daylight when they were out in the open and he was able to see who exactly had stolen his ship. The crew was mixed with odds and ends, they looked like a scattered mix of outcasts, but just as fearsome as any pirates - a crew you didn't want to trifle with at first glance, and Ben and Siri were no exception to that. Vader must have had too much to drink last night, or Ben's disguise had been particularly good. Ben gave Ruby a coded look and the other women walked off, leaving them to themselves.

"You weren't part of the plan, captain. Consider yourself lucky to be alive. We were supposed to be going to one of the tavern's rooms last night for entertainment, not your cabin, that wasn't part of the plan. Otherwise you'd still be safely on land - tied up to a bed, no doubt, but not a prisoner either," Ben scowled, as if this was all his fault.

"Does the captain always use you in these setups?" Vader asked.

"I _ am _ the captain," Ben scowled. Vader’s eyebrows shot up, and there was a moment of awkward silence

"Well,” he cleared his throat, “most captains have their crew do the dirty work for them.”

"Not all captains are like you," Ben said crossly. Vader ignored the jab.

"Was Ben your real name?"

"I’m Captain Obi-Wan Kenobi," Ben said, managing to keep an eye on him and the pirates on deck at the same time. 

“Fucking Obi-Wan Kenobi, I’ve heard of you,” Vader cursed out. The trickery and sly tactics of this particular captain had spread the seas in tales. Vader had to say, he was impressed. "So can I ask why you're stealing my ship?"

"It's not your ship anymore, I've already claimed it," Obi-Wan dodged the question. Vader let out a sigh, shaking his head, and rearranged his question.

"Where are we headed?"

"Wonderland," Obi-Wan said sarcastically, still keeping a close eye on him.

"Come on, give me something to go on," he said, becoming annoyed with the lack of information he was receiving.

"You being on board has jeopardized my plans enough as it is," Obi-Wan said in a sharp voice, glaring at him with those stormy sea-green eyes.

"Well I didn't ask you to kidnap me, love."

"Save it," Obi-Wan commanded. Vader smirked.

"Though I'm not complaining about your methods. You did leave me a bit up in the air last night, however, but I wouldn't be opposed to continuing -" he was cut short as Obi-Wan interrupted him.

"Let me make myself clear. Last night was a means to an end and will _not_ be happening again, so learn to enjoy what little you got,  _ love, _ " Obi-Wan said venomously, his forefinger digging into Vader’s chest as a gust of wind blew his hair to the side. Vader's eyebrows raised but he couldn't keep the grin off his face. He may have been angry at Obi-Wan for stealing his ship out from under him, but the other captain had earned an enormous amount of respect from him as well. He was also maybe distracted by that golden red hair falling in Obi-Wan’s face again.

"Can I at least have my hook back?" he asked.

"No."

"So you'd leave me handless?"

"Weaponless."

"I'd have to be mad to use a weapon against you, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by your crew," he pointed out. Obi-Wan opened his mouth to counter, and then pressed his lips into a thin line, clearly thinking about it.

"No. I don't trust you," he finally said. Vader let out a sharp laugh.

"Of the two of us, so far, you are the most untrustworthy, considering you chained me to my own bed and stole my ship," he said, his tone becoming more serious. More angry and more dangerous.

"You don't scare me," Obi-Wan said nonchalantly, arms crossed once more.

"I'm Captain Vader. I should."

"No, you just think you should, just like a bunch of other pirates think they should, simply because they have an exaggerated reputation and an egotistical outlook on life. I don't care who you've killed or what you've done, at the end of the day, you're still a man, and a slit throat would kill you just as quickly as anyone else," Obi-Wan hissed.

"If I'm just a man, then I'm not much of a threat, am I? So why not give back my hook?" he countered. Obi-Wan hesitated, eying where Vader’s left hand should be.

"Fine. But it gets taken off at nights, and if you do anything suspicious, it'll be gone and you'll never see it again."

"Deal," Vader nodded and flashed him a grin. Obi-Wan kept the frown on his face, making Vader feel like he disapproved of him a great deal more than he had before the conversation. It almost made Vader feel bad. He knew Obi-Wan  would still see him as a threat no matter what he did. He was surprised when he handed the hook to him - Obi-Wan had stored it somewhere on his person, Vader hadn't caught where, but he was happy to leave that to his imagination. He took it graciously and snapped it back into place. Obi-Wan watched him warily, ready to draw his sword in a moment's notice.

"So what do you intend to do to me? Keep me locked up in my own cabin forever?" he asked.

"It's my cabin now," Obi-Wan smiled, but not in a friendly manner.

"Right, of course," Vader gritted his teeth together. He'd be damned if he'd let this man see his anger. But it was close. Anger wouldn’t help him figure out how to get the  _ Death Star  _ back.

"You'll work just like any other member of the crew. Swabbing the deck and such," Obi-Wan said, giving him about the lowest position on the crew. Vader opened his mouth to protest, but Obi-Wan stopped him. "Unless you'd prefer being chained in the dark for the rest of your time here, living on stale bread. If you're on my ship, you work for your food, and you work for respect from me and other crew members. Nothing around here comes for free, and the women  _ and  _ the men won't be ones to swoon over you or be impressed by anything you claim to have done. Understood?" Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow at him. Vader finally nodded, put out at the whole idea. It had taken him years to become a pirate captain, and the idea of being treated like some green boy who hadn't spent a day at sea didn't set well with him. But he had been through much, much worse. He set his eyes on Obi-Wan. He was handsome, well-spoken, and he was good at what he did. As good or even better as he was. 

Vader sighed in resignation.

"Yes, Captain," he muttered, trying to ignore the smug look Obi-Wan gave him as he started laying out the rest of the rules.


	3. Chapter 3

_Twenty Two Years Ago_

Thirteen year old Obi-Wan wandered the streets and alleyways of one of the port towns, looking for pockets to pick. Luck hadn't been with him in the past few days, and the gnawing hunger in his stomach reminded him of that. Since he'd once again been abandoned, he had to take care of himself now. At least he knew how to. He squeezed his eyes shut in a moment of pain as he remembered wandering the woods with those who had become his family. He shook his head. It'd do him no good to dwell on it - he had to accept things and move on.

He was drawn to a smallish looking tavern, well-lit and loud with the laughter of its drunken patrons. He lingered outside, wondering if he should try his hand at the dice and gambling games - he was fairly good at them. Obi-Wan finally strode through the doorway, shoulders high and chin up, an arrogant walk that showed people he was a well capable of defending himself if the need should arise. He looked around. The place was filled with sailors and townspeople, and some were probably pirates as well, yet the tavern stayed well-mannered and under control. In the center of the room a few men were playing at dice, and there were three men playing cards in the corner. Obi-Wan decided to try his luck with the cards first. He went up and sat with the three men as if he owned the place.

"Next game, I'm playing," he said. Two of the men looked to be in their thirties, the other in his late fifties. He smiled, seemingly amused.

"You are, are you?" he questioned, laying out a card. His hair was pulled back into a tie, and graying. He seemed to give off a welcoming aura that made Obi-Wan relax. The man’s kind blue eyes darted between the two men he was playing with, gauging any hints on their faces.

"I'll play the winner," Obi-Wan said confidently, and the man chuckled, the ever-present smile on his lips widening.

"So you'll be playing me," he said, and the other two men exchanged looks before both putting down losing cards.

“You eventually have to lose, Watto,” the man chuckled. Obi-Wan smiled slightly as the older man clapped his hand on the wooden table in triumph and collected his money. The other men scowled and excused themselves, and Obi-Wan moved to sit across from the winner.

"I don't usually play against kids," he said. It was the wrong thing to say to Obi-Wan. He narrowed his eyes and started shuffling the cards.

"You just don't want to break your winning streak," he said, beginning to dole the cards out evenly between them. The man’s lips pressed together, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

"What's the stakes?" he asked. Obi-Wan thought for a moment.

"I get half the money you just won if I beat you," he nodded. The man shrugged.

"Fair enough. But what are you going to pay up when I win?" he asked, and Obi-Wan hesitated. He really didn't have anything besides the clothes he was wearing with a few knives hidden under them. The man seemed to sense Obi-Wan’s dilemma.

"If I win, you have to tell me your story," he said. Obi-Wan raised his eyebrows.

"My story?" he asked, confused.

"Yes. Also your name," he nodded. Obi-Wan let out a sigh and entertained the idea for a few seconds before nodding back at him. He was hungry and didn't have many options left at this point besides finding who he could pickpocket the easiest.

"Game on," he smirked and laid down the first card.

 

* * *

 

 

_Present Day_

Obi-Wan woke up slowly, halfway still in dream land. He winced and rubbed his forehead… A good dream, but still a nightmare once he woke up. Qui-Gon was dead, they’d never play cards again. He sighed and burrowed further under the covers, realizing it wasn't yet daylight. Vader's bed was nicer than the one he had had on his ship. It was larger and softer and made of...mahogany? He smiled to himself, closing his eyes. He’d pulled this off so far, hadn’t he? He needed the _Death Star_ , the only ship around that was fast enough to catch up to the _Mandalore_. It made him a few steps closer to finding his revenge..

He laid in bed for another few minutes, drifting in and out of sleep. He finally got up and dressed, ready to start the new day. They were on course to the island base. He'd used it for years now, and it was a network of tunnels underground which were cleverly hidden so there was no fear of anyone else finding it.

He laced up his boots and grabbed his coat and Vader's...hook, heading out of his cabin. It was getting chillier now, as they were traveling north. He suspected once they caught up with the _Mandalore,_ spring would be coming back around.

Work was already starting on deck. They were heading towards the island at a good pace- the _Death Star_ was faster than his crew was used to, but it had just as much work on it to be done as had the _Negotiator_. He spotted Vader up by the helm and made a beeline for him.

"You should be working," Obi-Wan barked out. Vader slept in one of the hammocks with the cabin boys, and today didn't look like one of his best mornings. Obi-Wan handed him his hook, which Vader took from him and snapped on, a frown away from glaring at him.

"You’re being a little harsh, don't you think?" he asked Obi-Wan.

"No," he answered, not in the mood to argue with him. Well, he was never in the mood to even talk to Vader, but that was besides the point. They’d been on each other’s nerves these past few days.

"Can you please just tell me where we're heading?" he frowned, looking painfully curious. Obi-Wan took his place at the helm, studying the ship before turning towards him.

"We're going to find Maul and Savage Opress, the Zabrak brothers. And we’re going to kill them," he told Vader, "so perhaps you'll see the urgency of my situation. As I’ve said before, you're going to be treated like any other crew member was when they first arrived. Suck it up and deal with it. I've seen men come and go from this ship, too full of themselves to take orders from anyone. Most of those men left with a snapped neck or worse. I suggest you do your best not to be one of them," he said coldly. Perhaps Vader could understand why he was so set on taking his ship now.

"See, now, was it that hard to tell me?" he asked. Obi-Wan focused his gaze back to the workings on the ship.

"Get to work, Vader," he said in a stiff voice.

  


* * *

 

Vader sighed and walked away, getting his orders from Siri. Cleaning the chamber pots it was. The day passed slowly, and they only saw one small ship in the distance. Vader was eating the small meal he received when he sensed someone coming up behind him. He turned quickly to see a curious looking boy.

"You're eating alone," the boy stated.

"Aye," Vader nodded, shoveling another spoonful of the bland soup into his mouth and swallowing. "Afraid I'm up to something?"

"No," the boy smiled some and shook his head, sitting down beside him. "You'd have to be mad to defy the captain in your situation. Why are you eating alone?" he asked, and Vader mentally groaned. The last thing he needed was an inquisitive teenager following him around.

"Your...friends aren't very welcoming," he said. The boy laughed.

"That's only because you’re not on friendly terms with the captain, and people who don’t like Captain Kenobi are usually extraordinary assholes. I'm sure they'll warm up to you."

"If they are as hard of pirates as Obi-Wan, I wouldn't count on it," he finished his soup off and sat the bowl down. “I never said I didn’t like him.”

"You didn’t have to say. Besides, Obi-Wan has more reason than most of us to not trust anyone," the boy shrugged.

"I won't ask, because I doubt you'd tell," Vader said, but damn, he _really_ wanted to know.

"You'd be right," the boy said. "But Obi-Wan is a good captain. He's just not that great of a people person."

"I didn't notice," Vader spit out in sarcasm. The boy blinked at him, and he sighed. “What’s your name?”

“Kanan. Obi-Wan picked me up about a year ago, adopted me I guess, after I lost my … my friend,” Kanan said, not seeming to want to elaborate.

“What’s this, a family reunion crew?” Vader snorted.

“Yeah. We take care of each other,” Kanan shrugged.

“Weird,” Vader commented, forcing down more of the awful soup. He’d be damned if he was going to spend his days in captivity hungry as well. He’d gone through that before, and it was less than pleasant.

“I think you’ll fit in eventually,” Kanan said encouragingly, and gave him a bright smile.

“One could only hope.”

The next day, Obi-Wan kept stabbing his desk- formerly Vader's - with one of his knives and pulling it back out, almost in a trance as he did it. He was trying to plan out tactics once they actually caught up to Maul and his cronies. Dathomir was their usual go-to, and Obi-Wan knew nothing about the place, only whispers here and there, and none were very helpful. The rhythmic thunk of the knife hitting the desk continuously helped him keep his anxiety under control.

When Qui-Gon had first been murdered, it had been a nightmare. He had been a screaming mess of anger, and it had taken Satine and Siri combined plenty of talks to bring him back to some semblance of sanity. He had clung to his revenge like a lover - that had been his life line. And then, when they met in the open sea - He’d nearly lost half his crew, and Satine had died in his arms. He had failed her, and there was now nothing left for him but this revenge. This time it had to be perfect. It was all he had, and a year without the two people he loved best in the world had been agony.

"Come in," he said to the knock on his cabin door. Siri peeked inside, her eyes looking from Obi-Wan to the gouge marks decorating Vader's desk.

"The island is in sight," she said, and Obi-Wan blinked.

"Already?"

"Yes. She's faster than we thought," Siri grinned. Obi-Wan stood up, tucking his knife back into his  belt and following Siri up to the top deck. The rest of the crew were scurrying around, getting ready to drop anchor. Obi-Wan hopped up on the side of the ship, steadying himself with a rope, and got a clear view of Jund Island. He let the chilly breeze blow in his face for a moment, then hopped back down, giving orders here and there if he saw anyone slacking.

A few minutes later, the _Death Star_ was in a stationary position, and the long boats were being taken out. Obi-Wan caught sight of Vader and grabbed his shoulder.

"You. You're with me," he said. Those he didn't trust he liked to keep close at hand, so he could see the knife aimed towards his back and deflect it before he was stabbed. Or in this case, a hook.

"So eager for my company, Kenobi?" Vader asked with a small smirk.

"You call me captain or I'll cut your tongue out," he threatened, a flash of anger shining in his eyes as he dragged Vader with him. Vader kept quiet then, following him down the side of the ship and into a longboat with Siri, Ferus, and Kanan.

"Why are we stopping here?" Vader asked. Obi-Wan stayed silent, and Siri answered for him.

"We're going to stock up on the food and supplies we have stored here, maybe rest for a day before the real journey begins," she told him. Vader nodded.

"And where are you going from there?" he asked. Obi-Wan glanced over at him sharply.

"What do you know about Dathomir?" he asked.

"Quite a bit," Vader said, looking into his eyes. The thing that disconcerted Obi-Wan the most about him was there was no fear in his eyes over his situation. He had been robbed and kidnapped by a crew of pirates and his life had been threatened more than once, yet here he was, facing it all casually. Obi-Wan wondered what it was that made him so careless with his own life.

"You've been there?"

"Four times, I think. The Nightsisters, as I said," he answered, making a count on his fingers. "Yes, four.” His voice sounded cheery. Obi-Wan leaned forward. He now had his full attention.

"The Nightsisters live on Dathomir?" he asked, rubbing his hands together anxiously. Vader looked down at them then back up to Obi-Wan.

 

* * *

 

He was delighted to know that he now had something important, something of value to bargain with. Something over Obi-Wan, no matter how small.

"That's confidential information," Vader answered, and a silence fell over their boat, just the sound of rowing coming from it. The look Obi-Wan was giving Vader could probably kill a few armies, but Vader seemed undeterred by it.

"We can discuss terms when we land...if you like," he winked at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan suddenly reached for him, grabbing him by his shirt and pulling him towards himself, their faces inches apart. Fire shone bright in Obi-Wan’s eyes, and Vader dropped the smirk, figuring it would do him no good now. He noticed Obi-Wan’s free hand tapping on the hilt of his sword. Just then they were at the island, Siri and Ferus climbing out of the boat, Kanan giving Vader a sympathetic look. Obi-Wan dragged Vader to his feet, pulling him onto the beach.

"You'll tell me, and you'll tell me now," he said. Vader sighed. Obi-Wan should know by now that the fear factor was not going to work on him. He'd lost count of how many times his life had been threatened.

"You can't get information from a slit throat," Vader told him. Obi-Wan's jaw clenched along with his fists.

"Fine," he said. "We'll talk terms this evening." With that, he stalked off towards the middle of the island, the rest of the crew following closely behind.


End file.
